Cathodoluminescence and gaseous scintillation in the environmental SEM

A novel detection means for the environmental SEM (ESEM) is described. Certain gases, apart from being the environmental conditioning medium, can also act as a scintillator detector. All signals, such as secondary and backscattered electrons which can cause a particular gas to luminesce, can be detected. It is further concluded that the gas can act as a generalized detector device for all signal‐gas reactions provided some suitable parameter can be monitored. New possibilities in the detection of specimen cathodoluminesce created by the ESEM are demonstrated.